Switching My Fitness Journal to a Notebook (September Posting Challenge)

I switched my workout journal this month from a spreadsheet in Google Drive to a composition notebook with grid lines.

I've kept track of my weight for years in Google Fit and a then spreadsheet so that I can make a chart over time. I had kept my workout journal along with it to make it easy.

I decided this month to switch to a physical journal, and grabbed an old composition notebook with grid lines from my garden bookshelf. I started in two places. In the front, I started a chart to track my weight and waist each morning. Halfway through the notebook, I track my workouts, heart rate, and blood pressure. The main use for tracking my blood pressure is that it helps me know when I am overtrained and need a break. It shows when my blood pressure is up ten points over a normal workout.

I always thought that having a digital copy of my workouts and the ability to make a chart out of weight, waist, or heart rate made the digital version better. When I switched to the physical journal, I made a graph out of the grid lines so that I can automatically make a graph of my weight and waist. I also found it is easier to compare my heart rate between workouts because the notebook is easier to scan than a spreadsheet on my phone. All the benefits of the spreadsheet can be matched by the notebook except for comparing years. Honestly, I rarely review previous years so that is not a problem.

One benefit is that it reduces my phone use. Anything that uses less phone is good.